Rigid mounting connector

Abstract

Technologies are described for rigid mounting connectors to connect a monitoring device to a piece of equipment. The rigid mounting connectors may comprise abase and a column. The column may be tubular in shape and include a bolt opening configured to receive a threaded end of a bolt. The base may extend axially from and be attached to outside walls of the column. A length of the column may be perpendicular to the base and the column may be at a center of the base. The base may include cylinders positioned on a circle concentric to a center of the bolt opening. Each screw channel may be configured to receive a screw to fasten at least one printed circuit board assembly to a top side of the base. The base may include footings which may protrude out from a bottom side of each cylinder.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rigid mounting connector to connect a monitoring device to a piece of equipment, the rigid mounting connector comprising:
 a base; and 
 a column, wherein the column includes walls which define a bolt opening through the length of the column, the bolt opening is tubular in shape and configured to receive a threaded end of a bolt within the bolt opening, the column is configured to receive a bolt head of the bolt, wherein the base extends axially from and is attached to outside walls of the column such that a length of the column is perpendicular to the base and the column is at a center of the base, wherein the base includes cylinders positioned on a circle concentric to a center of the bolt opening, walls of each of the cylinders define a screw channel with an opening on a top side of each cylinder, each screw channel is configured to receive a screw to fasten at least one printed circuit board assembly to a top side of the base, and the base includes footings which protrude out from a bottom side of each cylinder. 
 
     
     
       2. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 1 , wherein the base is in the shape of a triangle with three sides of the base equivalent in length and the footings constrain movement of the mounting connector in six degrees of freedom when the mounting connector is mounted to the piece of equipment. 
     
     
       3. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 1 , wherein the footings protrude out from bottom side of each cylinder with an essentially rounded or hemi-spherical outer surface. 
     
     
       4. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 1 , wherein the footings protrude out from bottom side of each cylinder 0.0625 to 0.1875 inches. 
     
     
       5. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 1 , wherein the footings have a diameter of inches to 0.300 inches. 
     
     
       6. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rigid mounting connector is metallic material; 
 the rigid mounting connector is embedded in a base support of a device; and 
 the base support is plastic. 
 
     
     
       7. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 1 , wherein the base further includes cross supports between adjacent cylinders. 
     
     
       8. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 1 , wherein the base further includes cross supports between each cylinder and the column. 
     
     
       9. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 1 , wherein one or more printed circuit board assemblies is secured by screws to a top side of the rigid mounting connector and the one or more printed circuit board assemblies include at least one of a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a motor flux sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
       10. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more printed circuit board assemblies include at least one of a blue tooth transmitter and a cellular transmitter. 
     
     
       11. A method for mounting a device to a piece of equipment, the method comprising:
 placing a threaded end of a bolt through a bolt opening of a column of a rigid mounting connector, wherein the rigid mounting connector comprises:
 a base; and 
 a column, wherein the column includes walls which define the bolt opening through the length of the column, the bolt opening is tubular in shape and configured to receive the threaded end of the bolt within the bolt opening, the column is configured to receive a bolt head of the bolt, wherein the base extends axially from and is attached to outside walls of the column such that a length of the column is perpendicular to the base and the column is at a center of the base, wherein the base includes cylinders positioned on a circle concentric to a center of the bolt opening, walls of each of the cylinders define a screw channel with an opening on a top side of each cylinder, each screw channel is configured to receive a screw to fasten at least one printed circuit board assembly to a top side of the base, and the base includes footings which protrude out from a bottom side of each cylinder; 
 
 placing the footings of the rigid mounting connector upon a surface of the piece of equipment; 
 aligning the threaded end of the bolt with a bolt channel of the piece of equipment; and 
 turning the bolt so that the threaded end of the shaft interacts and couples with threads of walls of the bolt channel to secure the rigid mounting connector to the piece of equipment with the footings of the rigid mounting connector in contact with the surface of the piece of equipment. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the bolt includes a bolt head with a diameter larger than a diameter of the bolt shaft; and 
 the bolt is turned until the bolt head is compressed against a top surface of the column to secure the rigid mounting connector to the piece of equipment. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the footings of the rigid mounting connector form an air gap between the rigid mounting connector and the piece of equipment. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the footings of the rigid mounting connector constrain movement of the mounting connector in six degrees of freedom when the mounting connector is secured to the piece of equipment. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the footings of the rigid mounting connector protrude out from bottom side of the rigid mounting connector with an essentially rounded or hemi-spherical outer surface. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid mounting connector is embedded in a base support of a device. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein a printed circuit board assembly is mounted to a top side of the rigid mounting connector. 
     
     
       18. A rigid mounting connector to connect a monitoring device to a piece of equipment, the rigid mounting connector comprising:
 a base; and 
 a column, wherein the column includes walls which define a bolt opening through the length of the column, the bolt opening is tubular in shape and configured to receive a threaded end of a bolt within the bolt opening, the column is configured to receive a bolt head of the bolt, wherein the base extends axially from and is attached to outside walls of the column such that a length of the column is perpendicular to the base and the column is at a center of the base, wherein the base includes cylinders positioned on a circle concentric to a center of the bolt opening, walls of each of the cylinders define a screw channel with an opening on a top side of each cylinder, each screw channel is configured to receive a screw to fasten at least one printed circuit board assembly to a top side of the base, the base includes footings which protrude out from a bottom side of each cylinder with an essentially rounded or hemi-spherical outer surface, and the rigid mounting connector is embedded in a base support of a device; 
 wherein one or more printed circuit board assemblies is secured by screws to a top side of the rigid mounting connector and the one or more printed circuit board assemblies include at least one of a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a motor flux sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a blue tooth transmitter, and a cellular transmitter. 
 
     
     
       19. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the rigid mounting connector is metallic material; 
 the rigid mounting connector is embedded in a base support of a device; and 
 the base support is plastic. 
 
     
     
       20. The rigid mounting connector of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more printed circuit board assemblies includes a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor and the vibration sensor and the temperature sensor are located next to a screw securing the circuit board assembly to a cylinder of rigid mounting connector to provide a direct path of vibration and temperature from the equipment to the vibration sensor and the temperature sensor.